This is the blog of the online CRBR, a forum for people who work on Belgian refugees during WW1 (UK, FR, NL...) and for people who want to share their personal history.

Tuesday, 7 November 2017

Belgian refugees in Wales

On Thursday 9 November a symposium on the Welsh and Flemish experience in the First World War will be held at the Pierhead building in Cardiff. Presentations will be offered on the military experiences in Flanders Fields, on the hosting of Belgian refugees in Wales, as well as on the wider social and literary context.

The symposium is organized with reference to the commemoration of the Passchendaele campaign of July-November 1917, 100 years ago and it is sponsored by the Cardiff University, the Government of Flanders, and the Welsh Government.

The refugee experience linking Belgium and Wales is just one of the subjects that will be explored in 'Flanders and Wales, a First World War Symposium' this Thursday at the Pierhead, Cardiff. Papers relating to the Belgian refugees are in bold below.

8.45 – 14.10

Registration for entire day or morning only, and coffee

Morning

9.15 – 9.30

Opening address and greetings from the Presiding Officers of the
Welsh National Assembly and the Flemish Parliament

9.30 – 9.45

Chair:
Julian Walker, writer and researcher, University College London: An
introduction to the themes of the conference

9.45 – 10.15

1. Toby Thacker, Cardiff University: ‘The most dolorous scenes in
British military history: Passchendaele in History and Memory’

10.15 – 10.45

2. Aled Eirug, Swansea University: ‘Conscientious objectors in Wales during
the First World War’

10.45 – 11.15

Coffee

Chair: Hugh Dunthorne,
Swansea University

11.15 – 11.45

3. Christophe Declercq, Leuven University/University College London: ‘Flemish
and Belgian identity in Wales in the First World War’

11.45 – 12.15

4. Toni Vitti: ‘The Belgian
refugees in Rhyl’

12.15 – 12.45

5. John Bradshaw, former Portreeve of Laugharne, and local historian: ‘Belgian
refugees in Laugharne and Carmarthenshire’

12.45 – 14.00

Lunch

Afternoon

Chair:
ChristopheDeclercq, Leuven
University/University College London